Concrete slat animal floor structure

ABSTRACT

An animal slat floor structure of precast reinforced concrete slats. Each slat includes an integral precast spacer only on one end and in the assembly of a plurality of slats to form a floor structure, the relative position of the spacer end is alternated so that no spacer end on any one slat is in contact with the spacer end on an adjacent slat. This slat provides a self-spacing floor arrangement and the selected size of the spacer end determines the desired spacing dimension between adjacent slats.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Edward J. l-latten 3,137,270 6/1964 Rigterink et al. 1 19/16 Stacyville, Iowa 50476 3,148,663 9/1964 Conover 1 19/16 [21] Appl. No. 35,319 3,455,279 7/1969 Krevit 1 19/28 g f d m 3 Primary Examiner-Aldrich F. Medbery 3 en e Att0rney-M0rton S. Adler [54] CONCRETE SLAT ANIMAL FLOOR S TRUCTURE 5 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 119/28, ABSTRACT: An animal slat floor structure of precast rein, 9/16 forced concrete slats. Each slat includes an integral precast [51] 111i. Cl Aolk 1/00 spacer only on one end and in he assembly of a plurality of [SO] Fleld of Search 119/20, 28, slats to form a floor Structure, the relative position of the spacer end is alternated so that no spacer end on any one slat is in contact with the spacer end on an adjacent slat. This slat [56] Reknnm cued provides a self-spacing floor arrangement and the selected size UNITED STATES PATENTS 1 of the spacer end determines the desired spacing dimension 1,259,802 3/1918 St. John V W l 1 9/ 28 between adjacent slats.

12 5 l4 1 'f' T I w I I a 5 CONCRETE SLAT ANIMAL FLOOR STRUCTURE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improvements in precast concrete slats for use in slatted animal floor construction.

The use of concrete slats in parallel spaced relationship to form a slatted floor arrangement is an old expedient particularly in areas where swine and cattle are raised. Such flooring is used to bridge appropriate collection pits for the animal droppings and the like and the slatted arrangement permits of easy cleaning of the floor area. Various means have been used heretofore to provide for adequate spacing of the slats and these include spacer blocks inserted between the ends of adjacent slats and also the use of elongated end pieces arranged transversely of the slats and containing appropriate spaced notches into which the slat ends can be positioned. In some instances, elongated slats have been provided with enlarged integral portions on each end so that in the arrangement thereof, side by side, the enlarged ends provide a spaced relationship for the intermediate slat length. One of the disadvantages of the latter type of slat with spacer elements on each end is that a separate form is required for each desired length of slat.

In the present invention, one of the important objects is to provide a precast reinforced concrete slat having an integral spacer component only on one end whereby appropriate spacing can be provided by positioning each slat in the reverse direction relative to an adjacent slat or slats.

Another object herein is to provide a slat of the above type which can be fabricated in a form providing for the spacing component on one end and being of a preselected maximum length for the slat component whereby the form can be blocked at desired points without any structural change to permit of the forming of this new slat in preselected lengths less than the maximum of which the form is capable.

A further object herein is to provide a concrete slat of the above type which in the parallel arrangement of a plurality of the same is self-spacing and requires no additional components for the formation of a solid rigid floor structure.

SUMMARY The present invention includes an elongated reinforced concrete slat of like cross sectional dimension which terminates at only one end in an integral enlarged spacer end. The floor structure is formed by assembling a plurality of these slats in parallel relationship with the spacer end of adjacent slats being reversed relative to each other so that the spacer end on one slat abuts the narrow end of an adjacent slat at each end. This is a self-spacing arrangement and the selected size of the spacer end relative to the width of the elongated slat determines the spacing dimension between slats which may be desired.

The form used for casting the slats may be of a preselected maximum length and thus selected slat lengths can be provided with the same form by suitably blocking the main fonn wherever desired.

The objects of this invention together with details of the construction and arrangement outlined and the advantages of the same will be more fully described and developed in relation to the more detailed description of the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top view of the new precast reinforced concrete slat used with my new slat floor structure,

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an end view taken from the right end of FIG. I,

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary end view of the floor structure taken from the line 4-4 of FIG. 7,

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the slat shown in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of a plurality of slats shown in FIG. 1 arranged to form a slat floor structure.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The new slat floor structure of this invention is designated generally by the numeral 10 as best seen in FIG. 7 and is constructed entirely by an arrangement of a plurality of like individual reinforced precast concrete slats 12 as will appear.

Slat 12 comprises an elongated slat member 14 and an integral enlarged spacer end 16 only on one end of member 14. Concrete slat floors are an old expedient in areas where hogs and cattle are raised, for example, and heretofore they have consisted primarily of precast slats of substantially the same cross sectional dimension throughout their length and conforming generally to that portion of the present invention represented by the numeral 14. Since such slats must be appropriately spaced to provide the desired floor arrangement, it has been customary to utilize separate spacer blocks between the ends of adjacent slats or to provide an end bar or slab provided with space notches into which the slats are placed. In some instances, spacer ends have been precast on each end of concrete slats but these are limited as to specific lengths and, accordingly, the cost of such slats are considerably increased by the necessity for having separate forms for different lengths.

The present slat 12 so far as slat member 14 is concerned is more or less conventional in shape having the relatively wide top surface 18 and the relatively narrow bottom 20 with the respective opposed tapered sides 22 and 24. Slat 14 is made from precast concrete 26 reinforced by steel rods 28 in a well known manner and in suitable forms (not shown) for such purpose.

End 16 which is designated as the self-spacing spacer end is an integral precast enlargement projecting from both sides 22 and 24 only at one end to form the respective shoulders 30 and 32. The end 34 of spacer member 16 and the sides 36 and 38 thereof as best seen in FIG. 6 are tapered downwardly and inwardly from top surface 18 to the bottom surface 20. Also, at points 40 and 42 where spacer end 16 commences its projection relative to slat 14, the projecting edges 44 and 46 are disposed at a slight angle from slat 14 toward end 34 and such surfaces 44 and 46 are inclined downwardly and inwardly from top 18 to bottom 20. End 48 of slat 14 (FIG. 2) is tapered similarly to end 34.

It will be understood and appreciated that in the casting of slat 12, a suitable form (not shown) is employed which provides for the formation of the spacer end 16 and the integral length of slat 14. The advantages of the spacer end being cast only on one end of this slat member is that with a suitable form of a predetermined maximum length for slat portion I4, such fonn can be suitably blocked at intermediate points in a well known manner to provide a slat 12 having the single spacer end 16 and to provide for slat members 14 of different selected lengths less than the maximum of which the form is capable. Such an arrangement, it will be appreciated, affords considerable economy in the manufacture of slat 12.

With slat l2 constructed as described, the floor arrangement shown in FIG. 7 is accomplished by using a plurality of slats 12 as follows. The length and width of any animal excrement pit which is to be bridged will determine the number and length of slats as will be obvious. Slats 12 are arranged with the bottom surface 20 resting in the ground and they are positioned in parallel abutting relationship with spacer end 16 on one slat always being oppositely disposed to the spacer end 16 on an adjacent slat. By this arrangement, the end of each slat 14 opposite the spacer end on such slat will be intermediate respective spacer ends 16 on the adjacent slats l2 and the respective slat ends 14 and spacer ends will be in abutting engagement at the level of the top surface 18 from which point the respective adjacent sides of slat 14 and spacer member 16 will provide the diverging spaced opening 50 (FIG. 4) along the outer edges of floor structure 10. The length of projection of shoulders 30 and 32 relative to slat 14 will define the width of the space opening 52 between the several slats of floor structure 10. Thus, if the shoulders 30 and 32 project one inch from the sides of slat 14, the spacing 52 will be equal to the distance of such projection. Since floors such as must be cleaned and hosed down from time to time, the spacing 50 provided between the sides of spacer element 16 and the adjacent slat l4 facilitates the cleaning of the floor structure at this point and in this regard, it is a material improvement over slatted floor structures where spacer blocks or spacer members provide a complete abutting contact with adjacent floor structure members. I

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that spacer end 16 provides for a self-spacing floor structure and due to the inherent weight of slat member 12, the arrangement of a plurality of such slats as shown in FIG. 7 and described is all that is required in creating a suitable slat floor structure. No additional spacing elements orend blocks or slabs are required so that the floor structure as described can be easily and quickly put in place, cleaned and removed. Also, as indicated above, a single form for casting slat 12 can be utilized to provide slat members 12 in a variety of lengths and at the same time provide the single spacer element 16 utilized with this invention. Accordingly, from the foregoing it is thought that a full and complete understanding of this invention will be had and its advantages appreciated.

I claim: I. A concrete slat animal floor structure, comprising: a plurality of elongatedlike precast concrete slats each having respective top, bottom and side surfaces, each slat consisting of an elongated slat component and a precast cement spacer member integral with only one end of each respective slat, each spacer member disposed to project outwardly relative to the longitudinal plane of each side surface of said slat component to define opposed shoulder members, and said slats being arranged in parallel relationship to each other with said spacer member on each slat reversely positioned relative to the spacer member of an adjacent slat so that each side surface of the end of each slat component opposite to the spacer member thereon is in abutting engagement with a shoulder member of an adjacent spacer member whereby the opposed side surfaces of adjacent slat components are in spaced relationship to each other.

2. A floor structure as defined in claim 1 including:

said top surface of said flats being wider than said bottom surface so that said respective side surfaces are tapered downwardly and inwardly, and

the abutting engagement of a shoulder member on one slat with an adjacent slat being only at the plane of the top surface of said adjacent slat whereby there is famed a spacing of progressively increasing width below said plane of abutment to said bottom surfaces.

3. A floor structure as defined in claim 1 including:

said top surface of said slats being wider than said bottom surface so that said respective side surfaces are tapered downwardly and inwardly,

the extremities of said shoulder members being tapered downwardly and inwardly, and

the abutting engagement of respective shoulder members with respective adjacent slats being only at the plane of their respective top surfaces from which respective opposed surfaces diverge to said bottom surfaces to provide a spaced relationship between said slats on the plane of said bottom surfaces.

4. As a new article of manufacture, a concrete animal floor slat comprising:

a one piece elongated precast concrete slat component of like cross section throughout its length, and

a precast concrete spacer member formed on only one end of said slat component.

5. A concrete slat as defined in claim 4 including:

said spacer member disposed to project outwardly in two opposite directions relative to the longitudinal plane of said slat component, and a plurality of said slat components susceptible of being disposed in parallel relationship with said spacer members on adjacent slat components reversely arranged relative to each other so that one end of each slat composed is in abutting engagement on each side with a spacer member on an adjacent slat component and the major length of each slat component is in spaced relationship to an adjacent slat component to define a slatted floor structure. 

1. A concrete slat animal floor structure, comprising: a plurality of elongated like precast concrete slats each having respective top, bottom and side surfaces, each slat consisting of an elongated slat component and a precast cement spacer member integral with only one end of each respective slat, each spacer member disposed to project outwardly relative to the longitudinal plane of each side surface of said slat component to define opposed shoulder members, and said slats being arranged in parallel relationship to each other with said spacer member on each slat reversely positioned relative to the spacer member of an adjacent slat so that each side surface of the end of each slat component opposite to the spacer member thereon is in abutting engagement with a shoulder member of an adjacent spacer member whereby the opposed side surfaces of adjacent slat components are in spaced relationship to each other.
 2. A floor structure as defined in claim 1 including: said top surface of said slats being wider than said bottom surface so that said respective side surfaces are tapered downwardly and inwardly, and the abutting engagement of a shoulder member on one slat with an adjacent slat being only at the plane of the top surface of said adjacent slat whereby there is formed a spacing of progressively increasing width below said plane of abutment to said bottom surfaces.
 3. A floor structure as defined in claim 1 including: said top surface of said slats being wider than said bottom surface so that said respective side surfaCes are tapered downwardly and inwardly, the extremities of said shoulder members being tapered downwardly and inwardly, and the abutting engagement of respective shoulder members with respective adjacent slats being only at the plane of their respective top surfaces from which respective opposed surfaces diverge to said bottom surfaces to provide a spaced relationship between said slats on the plane of said bottom surfaces.
 4. As a new article of manufacture, a concrete animal floor slat comprising: a one piece elongated precast concrete slat component of like cross section throughout its length, and a precast concrete spacer member formed on only one end of said slat component.
 5. A concrete slat as defined in claim 4 including: said spacer member disposed to project outwardly in two opposite directions relative to the longitudinal plane of said slat component, and a plurality of said slat components susceptible of being disposed in parallel relationship with said spacer members on adjacent slat components reversely arranged relative to each other so that one end of each slat composed is in abutting engagement on each side with a spacer member on an adjacent slat component and the major length of each slat component is in spaced relationship to an adjacent slat component to define a slatted floor structure. 